What are the gun laws in Kentucky?

Kentucky, along with a handful of other states, including Colorado, has some of the most relaxed gun laws in the country.

According to Kentucky State Police, you are only required to have a permit when carrying a concealed weapon.

In this state, you are not required to have a permit to purchase or open carry. If purchasing from a dealer, a background check will be preformed through the National Instant Criminal Background Check, also known as NICS. The federal government requires this for all licensed gun dealers, however, if you're a private party seller a background check on customers is not required.

"That is where we are seeing a lot of problems," explains Trooper Paul Blanton, with the Kentucky State Police, "people don't realize that if you sell a gun to someone who is prohibited to own one, you're breaking the law. As the private seller, you may not know that the customer is a criminal or has a criminal history. To alleviate that we urge people to pay a small fee and get a background check done. That way you can make sure you're in the clear as well because in the end of the day, even if you know it or not, you're still breaking the law by selling a gun to someone who is prohibited to own one."

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